What is Odoo/OpenERP?

What is an Open Source ERP?

ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning. And Open Source ERP is a software system whose source code is publicly available. So, everyone can use and customize an open-source ERP according to their own needs and requirement. However, to modify the existing source code of an ERP system, the user needs a lot of development skills, especially in open source technologies.

For example, Odoo Open Source ERP provides many built-in modules such as Point of Sale, Accounting, HR, Project, etc. with its own of default features. However, users can modify its source code and use Odoo as per their needs. But if the modification or customization process hasn't gone well, then the user may experience unexpected losses.

What is Odoo?

Odoo Also known as Open ERP was founded by Fabien Pinckaers in 2005. The word Odoo is the acronym of On-Demand Open Object. Odoo is a large collection of business-related applications and modules like CRM, Sales management, E-commerce, Warehouse management, Purchase management, Accounting suit, Manufacturing management, HRMS, etc.. All these basic modules collectively called as Enterprise Resource Planning software.

Apart from its basic modules, Odoo has more than 14,000 third party Apps/Plugins available in its app store. Each of them is custom-built for different user needs. Today, Odoo is one of the widely used open-source ERP solutions in the market.

Why is Odoo becoming more and more popular?

There are some key points for this reason.

1)It is open source:

No proprietary fee and recurring costs One of the best ERP in the market.

2)Flexible:

Need any custom features? you can do it with the help of an Odoo developer.

3)Scalable:

Business/Organisation size doesn't matter, you can add any number of users in Odoo.

Odoo SA (the company itself), as well as Odoo, authorized service partners around the world provides Odoo implementation and related services to its users. Basically, there are two type professionals who can perform odoo implementation services.

1. Odoo ERP Developer

2. Odoo ERP Techno functionalist.

In the past, IT professionals who only had technical skills or functional expertise were much sought after. But today, professionals with both technical skills and functional expertise (also called techno-functional professional) are in great demand.

In the case of Odoo, a well experienced Odoo consultant can sketch the entire business diagram. They can provide the chart of application that must be installed and other customization requirements. Odoo developer can enhance/customize the existing source code as per the consultant's suggestions.

All ERPs uses a set of core technology and in the case of Odoo, it is as follows.

1. Odoo/ERP uses MVC based Architecture.

2. Models are the classes stored in the PostgreSQL database.

3. Views are the web or GTK clients.

4. Controllers are the ORM methods or API which interacts with view and models.

5. API framework with third-party services.

4. Odoo ERP Implementation methodology:

Odoo can be implemented in two ways. Either you can host it on any server (preferably Linux based) or you can use it locally. It depends on user needs. In both cases the basic implementation steps are: